Valve for toilet flush tanks



c. P. J-ACOBSEN ETAL 2, ,666.. VALVE FOR TOILET FLUSH TANKS Oct. 3, 1950 Filed N01). 16, 1.94:8

INVENTORS Call 8 E Jacobs an y Diclor Swanbacb wwiy Patented Oct. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE FOR TOILET FLUSH TANKS Calle P. J acobsen and Victor Swanback, Freshwater, Calif.

Application November 16, 1948, Serial No. 60,366

- 1 Claim. 1

This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, an improved valve unit for toilet flush tanks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve unit, for toilet flush tanks, wherein the valve is a round ball and free floating when released, whereby said valve reseats in many different positions. This assures of long and effective life as compared to conventional valves fitted with a guide rod, and which valves always seat in the same position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve unit, as above, which includes a novel retention cage for the free floating ball valve when released; such retention cage being an upstanding tube having ports and slots in an arrangement which permits of full and rapid water flow from the tank when flushed, and gradual lowering of the then floating ball valve to its reseat position.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a valve unit for toilet flush tanks, which includes a leak-proof ball valve and a valve seat assembly; the ball valve normally seating tightly-with a wedge-like actionon the valve seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable valve unit, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse section of the valve unit, as mounted in connection with a toilet flush tank.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of said valve unit as so mounted.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the valve unit, for toilet flush tanks, comprises a vertically depending water outlet pipe I, threaded at its inner end, as at 2, into an annular boss 3 formed on the bottom 4 of a toilet flush tank 5. In this manner the outlet pipe I is connected in communication for release of the water therefrom. Within the top portion of the water outlet pipe I, the same is fitted with an insert sleeve 6, and said sleeve is formed, at the top, with an internal, tapered valve seat I which is concave in cross section, as shown.

A rubber covered ball valve 8 normally rests tightly on the valve seat I, whereby the valve unit is closed and water prevented from escape from the ball valve 8, the better the seal.

The ball valve 8 is guided between a lowered closed position and a raised open position, by an upstanding retention and guide cage 9; such cage being fixed in connection with the insert sleeve 6 about the tapered valve seat I and extending thereabove a distance substantially greater than the diameter of the ball valve 8. The retention cage 9 comprises a vertical tube I0 normally.

closed at the top by a removable cap II. In the lower portion thereof the tube I0 is form'edwith a plurality of relatively large, circumferentially: spaced water passage ports I2.

Above the ports I2 the tube I0 includes several relatively narrow, vertically elongated slots I3, here shown as two in number, in opposed relation.

The normally closed ball valve 8 is adapted to be mechanically elevated from its lowered closedposition on the valve seat I to a raised open position in the top portion of the retention cage 9, by means of the following arrangement:

The outlet pipe I is formed, below the insert sleeve 6, with a lateral blister I4, and a horizontal shaft I5 extends through said blisterl l, entering the same through a packing gland I6.

" Within the blister M, the shaft I5 is fitted with a radial lever I! which projects at a normally inward and downward incline to pivotal connection, as at I8, centrally in the outlet pipe I', with an upstanding push rod I9. At its upper end the push rod I9 is fitted with a cradle 20 adapted to engage the ball valve 8 from below. Lengthwise the cradle is of sufficient size to engage with an easy running fit in the insert sleeve, but said cradle is relatively narrow transversely so as not to impede free Water flow downward in the insert sleeve 6.

At its outer end portion the horizontal shaft I5 is supported by a journal bracket 2| fixed in connection with, and depending from, the toilet flush tank 5. Outwardly of the bracket 2| the shaft I5 is fitted with an upstanding, relatively long hand lever 22, and a leaf spring 23, supported by the bracket 2|, normally urges the hand lever 22 in a direction to cause lowering of the push rod I9 and cradle 20.

The above described valve unit, for toilet flush tanks, functions as follows:

Upon swinging of the hand lever 22 in a direction against the leaf spring 23, the radial lever I'I swings upwardly, causing the push rod I9 and cradle to rise. In turn the cradle 20 lifts the ball valve 8 off the valve seat I and projects said ball remaining in the tank holds the ball valve 8 in 7 its normal closed position.

The slots I3 in the vertical tube ll! of the retention cage 9 assure against the creation of any vacuum which would tend to hold the ball valve 8 against free closing motion.

As the ball valve 8 is free floating when in raised open position, such ball valve never returns to the valve seat I in the same position, with the result that the ball valve 8 is long lived, with efiective sealing upon each reseating thereof.

As soon as the hand lever'2'2 is swung to raise the ball valve 8 to its open position, such hand lever is released, whence it'returns to normal position under the influence of the spring 23.

The described valve unit provides a practical and eiTective mechanism for the control of the flow of water from toilet'flush tanks; the arrange ment being such that it is simple, fool-proof, and does not tend to stick or leak.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrom may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following are claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

A valve assembly for a toilet flush tank comprising in combination with the tank, a sleeve disposed in the bottom of the tank and depending therebelow, such sleeve being provided at its upper end with an internal tapered alve seat, a ball normally seated on said valve seat, a cradle normally disposed in the sleeve below the ball, such cradle being substantially rectangular and 'of a width substantially less than the diameter of the sleeve, the ends of the cradle having an easy running fit against the sides of the sleeve and being guided thereby, a. push rod fixed to the lower side of the cradle and extending downward substantially co-axially of the sleeve and free of the sides of the sleeve, and lever means connected with the lower end of the push rod and operable from a point exteriorly of the sleeve to move the push rod up and down to carry the cradle into and-out of engagement with the ball.

CALLE P. JACOBSEN.

VICTOR SWANBACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 575,111 Harvey Jan. 12, 1897 1,025,092 Hunter et al. Apr. 30, 1912 1,120,925 Gibbs Dec. 15, 1914 1,160,441 Packer Nov. 16, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 304,577 Great Britain Jan. 24, 1929 

